Baling or packing machines



July 24, 1962 G. A. STEVENS 3,045,407

BALING OR PACKING MACHINES Filed May 16, 1960 United States Patent O 3,045,407 BALING R PACKING MACHINES George Alfred Stevens, Norhileet, England, assignor t0 Paper Sacks Limited, Northlleet, England Filed May 16, 1960, Ser. No. 29,438 Claims priority, application Great Britain May 22, 1959 4 Claims. (Cl. 53-258) Thisinvention relates to baling or packing machines of the type in which individual groups of assembled articles such as bags, cartons or other containers, hereinafter called' articles, are pushed by a loading ram into a bag or carton, hereinafter called a bag, temporarily supported in openmouthed condition on a duck bill 'or like bag holder.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a simple form of mechanical aid whereby while a bag is being charged with a group of articles, another group may be assembled in the desired formation ready for the next bag charging operation.

The present invention consists in a baling or packing machine of the type indicated which includes a rotary assembly wheel having partitions located at right angles to one another adapted to constitute-in one position (assembly position) a group assembly platform and backing for a group of articles in waiting and turntable into a second position (loading position) wherein the backing and platform partitions are turned through 90 to present the group of articles in readiness for charging into a bag.

The invention further consists in a baling or packing machine as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein means are provided for ensuring final alignment of the group when located in the loading position.

The invention still further consists in a baling or packing machine as set forth in either of the two preceding paragraphs wherein guide means are provided at the assembly position for end alignment of the articles in the group.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode by way of example as shown in the accompanying drawing, a baling or packing machine includes a main frame 1 and a side frame 2 both constructed of angle iron.

A loading ram 3, operated by a main ram air cylinder 4, is mounted on the main frame 1 for longitudinal movement to and from a duck bill bag holder 5 located at one end of the main frame 1.

Also provided upon the main frame 1 o n the opposite side tothe side frame 2 is a rotary assembly wheel, shown generally at 6, mounted upon a shaft 7 for rotation about a horizontal longitudinal axis, the wheel 6 having four partitions 8 located at 90 intervals around the shaft 7.

The partition 8 which, at any particular time, is horizontal and located on the side remote from the side frame 2 constitutes a group assembly platform upon which a group 9 of articles in the form of containers awaiting baling or packing can be assembled by hand, the adjacent vertical partition 8 and fixed shield 10 serving as backing and end guides for the assembly of the group 9`at the assembly station thus defined.

As the wheel is rotated, as will be explained more fully hereinafter, each partition 8 serves in turn as an assembly platform and a backing guide for the group being'assembled.

A plate `11 constituting a side lay is secured to an arm 12 which extends generally longtudinally of the main frame 1 to a pivot 13 on the main frame at its end (rear) remote from'the bag holder 5.

The arm 12 is pivotally connected to a link 14 which is secured to the piston rod 15 of a side air cylinder 16 mounted on the side frame 2 so that the side lay 11 may Patented July 24, 1962 'Ihe loading ram 3 is positioned such that, when actuated, a group of containers located in the hopper are pushed through the bag holder 5 into a bag 17 located thereon.

The linli 14 connected to the piston rod 15 of the side air cylinder 16 is also connected to a side shaft 18 from which suitable linkage systems are taken to the bag holder Y 5 and to the assembly wheel 6.

A bag holder linkage shown generally as 19 is arranged such that on actuation of the side air cylinder 16 to move the side lay 11 outwardly the upper portion 5a of the bag holder 5 is pivoted on a shaft 20 towards the lower portion 5b of the bag holder 5 to permit application of a bag thereto.

An assembly wheel linkage shown generally as 21 is arranged such that upon actuation of the side air cylinder 16 to move the side lay 11 outwardly the rotary assembly wheel is' rotated through 90 thereby transporting a group 9 of containers at the assembly position to the loading station hopper in, readiness for charging into a bag.

A ratchet device .22 is provided such that on the return inward movement of the side lay 11 no rotation of the wheel 6 takes place.

The sequence of operations of this follows:

(i) An appropriate number of containers in the appropriate formation are loaded onto the group assembly platform and manually aligned with the aid of -the backing and end guides.

(z'z') A feed button 25 controlling a valve in the air sys? tem is operated which first causes the withdrawal of a bolt 24, preventing inadvertent rotation of the Wheel 6, and then actuation of the side cylinder 16 to move the side lay 11 outwardly.

(iii) as the side Ilay is moved, the wheel 6 is rotated through 90 transporting the group 9 of containers to the hopper, the bag holder is collapsed, and the bolt 24 is returned to its original position. t

(iv) A bag is placed upon the collapsed bag holder 5 and the charging button 23 controlling a further valve in apparatus is as the air system is operated to cause: inward movement of the side lay 11 and consequent final alignment ofthe group of containers in the hopper; erection of the bag holder 5 and support of the bag 17 located thereon in openmouthed condition; and actuation of the main air cylinder 4 to -move the loading ram 3 to push the group of containers located in the hopper through the bag holder 5 into the bag 17 located thereon.

(v) On completion of its stroke the ram 3 trips another valve and returns to its original position.

(v) Whilst one bag is being charged with a group of containers, a further group of containers is being assembled against the next pair of partitions 8 of the rotary assembly wheel 6 such that the above cycle of operations may then be repeated.

If desired, mechanical means may be provided at the assembly position for assembling each group of articles in the desired formation. A

Various modificati-ons may be made to the baling or packing machine as hereinbefore described.

For example, it will be apparent that mechanical, electrical or other suitable means may be substituted for the pneumatic control arrangement previously described.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for packing a plurality of articles into a bag, which includes a frame, a rotary assembly wheel on the frame having at least four partitions extending radially at right angles to one another from central shaft means, an end shield xed on the frame adjacent one end of said wheel perpendicularly to said shaft means, a pair of said partitions, when extending from the shaft means respectively vertically and horizontally, cooperating with said shield to deiine an assembly station for the arrangement of a plurality of articles in an orderly group, means to rotate the assembly wheel through 90 about said shaft means to a loading position, a side lay for urging said group of articles into contact with the said horizontal partition now extending upwards from said shaft means, a bag holder for supporting a bag in open-mouthed condition adjacent the loading position, a loading ram acting in the axial direction of the said shaft means for displacing the group of articles at the loading position into the bag supported on the bag holder, and means for locking the assembly wheel against rotation relative to the frame during operation of said side lay and loading ram.

2. Apparatus for packing a plurality of articles into a bag, which includes a frame, a rotary assembly wheel on the frame having at least four partitions extending radially at Iright angles to one another from central shaft means, a pair of said partitions, when extending from the shaft means respectively vertically and horizontally defining an assembly station at which a plurality of articles may be arranged in an orderly group, means to rotate the assembly wheel through 90 about said shaft means to a loading position, a side lay for urging said group of articles into contact with the said horizontal partition now extending upwards from said shaft means, a bag holder for supporting a bag in open-mouthed condition adjacent the loading position, and a loading ram acting in the axial direction of the said shaft means for displacing the group of articles at the loading position into the bag supported on the bag holder.

3. Apparatus for packing a plurality of articles into a bag, which includes a frame, a rotary assembly wheel on of articles may be arranged in an orderly group, means to rotate the assembly wheel through about said shaft means to a loading position, a bag holder for supporting a bag in open-mouthed condition adjacent the loading position, and a loading ram acting in the axial direction of the said shaft means for displacing the group of articles at the loading position into the bag supported on the bag holder.

4. Apparatus for packing a plurality of articles into a bag, which includes a frame, a rotary assembly wheel on the frame having at least four partitions extending radially at right angles to one another from central shaft means, a pair of said partitions, when extending from the shaft means respectively vertically and horizontally defining an assembly station at which a plurality of articles may be arranged in an orderly group, means to rotate the assembly wheel through 90 about said shaft means-to a loading position, a bag holder for supporting a bag in openmouthed condition adjacent the loading position, a loading ram acting in the axial direction of the said shaft means for displacing the group of articles at they loading position into the bag supported on the bag holder, and means for locking the assembly wheel against rotation relative to the frame during operation of said loading ram.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,462,468 Schaller July 17, 1923 1,803,123 Mudd Apr. 28, 193l 1,931,440 Jahne Oct. 17, 1933 2,092,786 Tayor Sept. 14, 1937 2,633,280 Davies Mar. 31, 1953 2,887,837 Toby May 26, 1959 

